The background for the present invention relates generally to the application of the concept of so-called "subjective time". Subjective or perceived time is defined as a time interval estimated not by mechanical, electronic, atomic or any other physical device but by a person based on his or her individual feeling and thought on how much time has passed since a certain moment.
The perceived estimation of the rate at which time passes is typically inaccurate. It is well known that time can "fly" or "crawl" to someone. Scientific data demonstrate that our accuracy in estimation of a long period of time (from several minutes to several hours) may vary (sometimes by an order of magnitude) depending on a number of reasons such as the type of activity exercised at a given interval, the number of events which have passed in the personal patterns of time perception, circadian and bio-rhythms, and environmental conditions. Such inaccuracy (i.e., the difference between actual or physical time and its perception) is, in itself, important and may be the key indicator of our peculiarity in time perception.
A number of well-known scientists such as Siffre, Aschoff, Waver, Block, Frigge, Campbell and others have developed theories about how the temporal judgment of long periods of time are made and based on the important fact that the perceived length of an interval of time depends at least partly on the volume and value of information being processed by someone during that interval.
One such explanation for the discrepancy between perceived and actual passage of time is a well-known theory of "two processors" developed by Thomas and Waver. This theory basically suggests that our attention at every particular moment is distributed or shared between two "brain processors"--the cognitive processor and a timer processor in such way that if we pay more attention to cognitive activity, the less attention we pay to timing itself, and as a result time appears to pass more quickly to us than it actually does. If we are paying more attention to the time itself and less attention to the activity we are engaging in time appears to pass more slowly to us than it actually does.
I have concluded from the foregoing that the degree of the "mistake" a human being makes in evaluating the time passing at any given interval indicates how deeply he or she is involved in a certain activity during the given interval of time. Such a variable may be called the "time delta".
For example, if the time delta of an individual at a certain period of time is higher than zero, it indicates that this person is "gaining" time; for this person "time flies". If the time delta of an individual at a certain period of time is less than zero, it indicates that this person is "losing time"; for this person "time crawls". If the time delta of an individual at a certain period of time equals zero, it means that this person is living "in time".
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for processing information on the perceived passage of time to improve time management skills and thus lead to increased efficiency, productivity and enjoyment of one's activities.